Reconciliation
by EmilyF.6
Summary: An alternate version of Bella's 18th Birthday Party: Feeling guilty, Bella confronts Jasper after he tries to attack her.
1. Chapter 1

"Jasper!" I tore through the woods, wincing as the limbs scratched at my face and hoping that none of them would break my skin. I'd hurt Edward's brother enough tonight. "Emmett! Jasper!" Running almost blindly, I stopped in the middle of a small clearing, surrounded by trees, and turned in a circle. "Emmett!" I had to find Jasper, even if I had no idea which direction he'd gone…or how far away he was. Turning in the direction that I hoped was away from the house, I started to sprint again, wincing as my foot caught on a root and I barely managed to catch myself. "Jasper!' I screamed his name, stumbling and catching my shoulder on a tree. "Alice!" Surely she would see me coming…would let me try to apologize. I couldn't believe I'd been so stupid! A paper cut! In a house full of vampires…did I subconsciously want to die?

I shook my head. Of course not. It had been an honest mistake, but an unforgivable one. Edward had told me that it burned…how it was physically painful to smell my blood. It was bad enough that Jasper had to spend time around me…he was pretty nice about it, all things considering. But to spill blood in front of him. 'Ugh. Idiot.' I thought angrily, wiping at a tear that escaped as I kept running, my breathing becoming more labored.

I'd immediately stuck my finger in my mouth, wincing at the terrible taste of rust and salt, hoping desperately that I wouldn't throw up. But it had been too late…Jasper had lunged, his eyes no longer holding the friendliness they usually showed me, his lips curled around his teeth. Edward had shouted something, and suddenly I had been flying backwards. Only a quick save by Carlisle had kept me from crashing against the table. Of course he'd probably left a bruise, but otherwise I was fine. It was Jasper I was worried about. Emmett had caught him around the waist, pinning his arms to his side and carefully avoiding his teeth that, for the first time since I'd met him, looked scary. Alice's face had been tortured as she watched Emmett drag him out under Carlisle's orders, her eyes darting between her mate, caught in the restraining embrace of her brother, and me, standing under her father's arm.

"Are you alright?" Carlisle had immediately asked, placing both hands on my shoulders as he looked into my eyes, maybe checking for signs that I was going into shock. Wincing, I had straightened up and looked him in the eye, realizing that my back and arm were probably going to be sore from where he'd caught me, his arm shooting out and wrapping around my back and gripping my elbow, brining me to an abrupt halt before I could crash into the table. His eyes were sad and I knew he'd caught my expression. "I'm sorry…I was trying not to hurt you."

"No…I'm fine…just sore. It would have been a lot worse if you hadn't caught me…thank you." He had smiled, his eyes warm as he nodded, then worried as he had looked back up at Edward who was still as a statue, his back to me. Esme had looked between us, her eyes as worried as Carlisle's, and I had realized that both Alice and Rosalie had left. "Is Jasper okay?" My soft words had the three remaining occupants of the room staring at me in shock. "I didn't mean to…"

"What?" Edward's voice had been quiet as he interrupted me.

"It was a stupid mistake…I should have been more careful. I'm so sorry." I looked between Esme and Carlisle but it had been Edward who responded.

"You shouldn't be the one apologizing!" He had snarled, and I had shrank back at the fury in his voice, my back pressing once again into Carlisle's arm. "It was Jasper who…"

"Edward!" Carlisle's voice had been colored with disapproval and Edward had glared at him.

"What! It was his fault! He's been with us for years, and we still can't trust him!"

I had stepped forward, my eyes narrowed as I glared at the furious vampire, all my fear gone. "It wasn't his fault!" I had snapped, and Edward had turned his glare to me. "I shouldn't have been so careless."

"He could have killed you!" He had roared, stepping closer, and I winced at the volume.

"Edward! You know he…" Esme's scolding had been lost as I shouted back.

"But he didn't! It was an accident, and I'm fine! Don't be angry at him for something that wasn't his fault!"

"How was it not his fault!? We were all here! No one else reacted like that!"

For a second I had been at a loss, frustrated at my lack of understanding. Why had Jasper reacted that way…why only Jasper? "He feels other people's emotions." I had said softly. "Would that make his thirst stronger?" There had been a soft gasp behind me and Esme looked over at Carlisle' her eyes questioning. He seemed to be thinking about it, but Edward was shaking his head.

"It doesn't matter." He said coldly. "I'm taking you home." He had reached for my arm then but I'd jerked away, eyeing him just as coldly.

"Oh no you're not. Not until I talk to Jasper."

"What! You're not going near him!" Fury had clouded my brain and I'd jerked away again when he reached for me.

"You are not my father and you are certainly not the boss of me. I'll talk to whoever I like." His hand had closed around my arm like a steel band and I'd swallowed hard, suddenly aware that he could crush my bones to dust if he wanted…all without putting forth any real effort. Too angry to see the fear in my eyes, he had started to pull me towards the door.

"Edward, let her go. Now!" Esme and Carlisle had blocked his path, and Carlisle had grabbed Edward's wrist. Edward had started to argue but Carlisle had been firm. "Edward, you are scaring her. You're going to hurt her. Let go." Like a switch was thrown, Edward had turned to look at my arm with wide eyes, jerking his hand back as if I'd burned him. Still too angry to deal with him, I'd turned on my heels and ran out the door.

Now I was in the middle of the woods, screaming for Jasper or Emmett or Alice…anyone really. At this point, I'd have been glad to see Edward. The sun was completely gone and I was pretty well lost. "Oh come on! I know one of you can hear me."

Suddenly I was remembering Edward's warning…about other vampires that may be in the woods. Of course, no one had mentioned any visitors. Alice would be the one to know. 'But what about Victoria? What if she wanted to get revenge for Emmett and Jasper killing her friend? Or Laurent? He seemed nice enough, but what if he comes by and he's thirsty? Oh God why did I come out here alone?' Suddenly my voice had taken on a desperate quality. "Jasper! Emmett! Please! Where a—" I tried to scream around the hand that was suddenly covering my mouth, but it was useless, as was thrashing and kicking, and I knew by the icy skin and the super strength that I was dealing with a vampire.

"Shh, Bella. Easy." I was simultaneously calmed and relieved, and I turned in surprise. Before I could speak again, Jasper was backing away from me, his eyes cautious as he took in my appearance. "I apologize…I didn't mean to scare you, but you were going to attract attention." His voice was detached and formal in a way I'd never heard him, and I realized he must be angry with me.

"Oh, Jasper! I'm so sorry!" I cried, stepping forward, and he took another step back.

"It's okay, Bella…you don't have to apologize over that…you didn't know." He seemed confused and I narrowed my eyes as I processed his response.

"What? Oh, no! Not about yelling…though I am sorry about that. I'm sorry…about earlier. It was so stupid of me! I…"

"Wait, what?" He leaned a little closer to me, and though I could barely see him in the dark, I stepped closer to his silhouette.

"The stupid paper cut! I know how dumb I was…I can't believe I was so careless. I'm so sorry." He was silent for a long moment, then a hand moved through the dark and hesitantly touched my arm.

"Bella…why are you apologizing?"

"Um…I just told you." Irritation colored my words and, to my surprise, he chuckled.

"You're not afraid. His voice was soft and almost awed, but also confused, and I tilted my head.

"What? No...why would I be?" Surely he didn't think I feared him...

"Well…I tried to... to hurt you. No.." He sighed as though frustrated with himself. "Bella, had it not been for Emmett, I might have killed you." He spoke slowly as though I was a small child, but his tone was hesitant...almost frightened.

"It wasn't your fault." Some of my irritation at Edward began to bleed through. "It's not like you can help it…I should have been more careful." Sighing softly, Jasper rested his hand on my shoulder, squeezing gently.

"Bella, you don't have to apologize."

"But I hurt you." My voice was impossibly small and I looked down at the ground, knowing he could see the sadness in my eyes even in the dark. Gently he cupped my chin and brought my face up.

"What do you mean?" He asked softly.

"Edward said that it hurt…when you were thirsty and you smelled blood. I didn't mean to hurt you." My voice broke and I bit my lip, looking down at the ground once again.

"Oh Bella." He mumbled, chuckling weakly. Pulling gently, he pulled me closer and I threw my arms around him, swallowing hard. It would be stupid to cry, I told myself. Just because Edward was mad at me and everyone was fighting because of me…but Jasper was excellent at bringing out suppressed emotions and I sobbed. "What's wrong, darlin?" He asked quietly, his voice gentle as he rubbed my back. Suddenly I wanted to tell him everything, something I didn't question.

"Edward was so mad." I sobbed. "And he told me I couldn't see you and he was yelling and he grabbed my arm…I was scared of him! And he's mad at you and Carlisle and Esme and everyone's upset and it's my fault!" My hot tears soaked into his shirt and he rubbed my back, and I felt completely safe talking to him. "And I didn't even want the stupid party but I was having a good time, and then I ruined it! I don't want to loose my family, Jasper! Not over being so stupid!"

"Shh, Bella. Why do you think you'd loose us?" Jasper asked, his voice oddly compelling, and I had to answer.

"When I was in the hospital, Edward said that he was making my life dangerous." I mumbled, resting my forehead against his shoulder. "I thought…he was acting like he was going to leave."

"We're not going to leave you. Emmett and I will beat some sense into Edward, don't worry. And if that doesn't help, we'll talk to Carlisle." Jasper assured me, squeezing me one last time, then pulling away, his hands on my shoulders. An icy thumb brushed the tears under my eyes and suddenly the calm and security ebbed, leaving me irritated once again, if still comforted.

"Jasper! That's not fair!" He chuckled, rubbing my hair.

"Sorry." His voice wasn't repentant in the least as he stepped back a little. "You ready to go back. You look terrible." He seemed amused and I rolled my eyes.

"Excuse me. Some of us don't have skin like a freakin rock." I mumbled, rubbing at a scrape on my arm. He laughed loudly, shaking his head, and Alice appeared, her soft laugh joining in. I realized that she must have wanted Jasper and I to talk, and wondered if she'd heard everything.

"Hey Bella. You okay?"

"Yea…just scraped up. Where's Emmett?"

"Hey Bella!" Edward's giant brother suddenly seemed to materialize in front of me, and I screamed, my feet tangling together as I tried to back away, and I fell, landing hard on my butt. Emmett roared a laugh, his head thrown back, and Jasper chuckled, his deep tenor joining Emmett's. Sighing in irritation, I smiled ruefully at Alice who reached down and helped me up, wrapping an arm around my waist, leading me toward where I assumed her house was.

"Come on Bella, let's get you home."

"Home?" Emmett and Jasper, who'd finally stopped laughing at me and were following, paused behind us. Emmett cocked his head. "She still has presents to unwrap and she hasn't even tried the cake!" Alice sighed softly, turning so that we faced her brothers.

"You'll have to talk to Edward." She warned them. "He wants to take her home."

"Well screw him!" Emmett snapped, turning to me. "Bella, do you want to finish your party?" Blushing, I stared at the ground. "C'mon, Bella! You only opened one of your gifts! You're going to love Carlisle and Esme's! And wait 'till you see Alice's!" Alice reached out to punch him, but he stepped back, avoiding her easily. "What! I didn't say what it was!"

"Is it okay?" I asked softly, looking at Alice. Suddenly I didn't want to leave my surrogate family…not when Edward was angry and I was afraid he would leave me.

She softened, putting her arm back around me in the dark. "It's your party. Of course it's okay." Turning us back around, she led me toward the house.


	2. Chapter 2

**So I received a PM Emmy 1995, and she gave me some interesting ideas for the story. Therefore I've decided to continue with it for a bit. I hope you all enjoy. Thank you all so much for the lovely reviews. :) So by the way, I do not own Twilight, this is not directly from the book, some events are altered, please don't sue me. **

I stepped through the front door into the brightly lit living room, Alice's arm wrapped comfortingly around me, followed by Emmett and Jasper. "Everything okay?" Carlisle looked between the four of us warily, Esme quiet at his side. Alice smiled cheerfully, her arm still holding me close. Rosalie stood by the kitchen door, her smug smile still firmly on her face.

"Everything's fine." Alice told him. "Can Bella open her presents now?" Carlisle gave me a wary smile, his eyes full of confusion. Obviously he was expecting more fear on my part, and the fact that we'd brought Jasper back seemed to surprise him. But he seemed genuinely happy to see all of us.

"Of course…if that's what she wants." But before I could move toward the stack of presents, Edward appeared in the kitchen door, shaking his head firmly, his honey colored eyes cold.

"I'm taking you home." He said while I shrank back against Alice, not wanting a repeat of earlier events.

"Bella wants to stay." Emmett argued softly, his eyes glued to Edward as he stepped forward, placing a large hand on my shoulder. "She hasn't finished opening her presents. Besides, she ought to get to try her cake. This _is_ her party."

"No." Stepping forward past Carlisle and Esme, Edward grabbed my hand, ignoring the warning looks of everyone in the room and pulling me away from Alice. His movements were gentler than before, but that made it worse somehow. "You got to talk to Jasper. Now you're going home."

"Edward…" Alice scolded softly.

Abruptly, he turned to glare fiercely at her. "What? You want her to open more presents? Fine!" He threw my hand down, and I pulled it to my chest, stepping away from him while he leaned closer to Alice. "Maybe she'll cut herself again and this time, we'll just let Jasper kill her!" He roared, stepping closer to his tiny sister who, to her credit, only glared at him coolly, her narrow eyes irritated. "We might as well, because sooner or later, hanging around with us, she's going to get killed." He snapped, his fists clenched as he towered over his sister. I glanced back at Jasper who was staring at the ground, his ashamed gaze filled with pain, and I wasn't afraid anymore.

"Do _not_ shout at her!" I snarled, pushing myself between them and going face to face with Edward, fury plain in my voice. "And apologize to Jasper!" His eyes widened incredulously and he stared at me in silence for a moment. "It wasn't his fault." I said quietly, my voice dropping off at the end, and he closed his eyes for a moment, his features twisting into a pained grimace. Turning back to Jasper, I deliberated for a second. "You can change people's emotions…but you can feel them to?" Looking at me strangely, he nodded. "So…can you feel the thirst of other vampires?" Immediately understanding where I was going with this, his eyes widened and he looked over at Carlisle, hope and curiosity warring in his eyes. Carlisle shrugged.

"It's something to consider." He told Jasper, his voice gentle. "That could be why it's so much harder for you."

"It doesn't matter!" Edward snapped. "You're in danger here." He grabbed my arm again and looked into my eyes. "Every minute…every second that you're with us, you're in danger. It would only take one mistake…" He shook his head, his face pained once again. "I can't…"

"You can't what?" For a minute his eyes closed, and then he stared at me coldly.

"I can't have you here…or anywhere around us."

"Edward!" Esme's shocked voice was hushed, but the sound seemed to echo through the silent room. She seemed torn, glancing between him and me, and I wondered what my face looked like. Alice stepped back up beside me and held me tightly to her side, her stance obviously protective, while Emmett moved to stand between Edward and me.

"What, exactly, are you trying to say?" Emmett asked softly, his voice low and dangerous.

"I don't want you here." His words were like a knife in my heart, twisting and causing me actual pain as his cold voice washed over me, his eyes on mine. Everyone in the room glanced between us with stunned expressions. Before anyone else could speak, Edward turned and seemed to disappear, the only sign that he'd left the slamming of the door. Alice's arm tightened around me, and I realized that she was supporting my weight while I leaned against her.

* * *

Alice drove me home, my hand clasped tightly in hers the whole way. A pile of unopened presents sat in the back seat, but I felt sick even looking at them and planned to leave them there. When she arrived at my house, she raced around to get my door, and then flung her arms around me, kissing me soundly on the cheek. "It's going to be okay, Bella." She promised kindly, squeezing my hand. Nodding dully, I managed to give her a quick smile, then turned to go inside. "Wait…don't you want your presents?" Wordlessly, I shook my head and unlocked the front door, heading straight for my bedroom, thankful that Charlie was with Billy. My window was wide open, and although I sat on the bed for hours, I fell asleep alone, the cold wind making me shiver all night.

The next morning I startled awake, surprised to find how cold it was in my room. It was only a few seconds, however, before I realized that I was alone…and remembered why. Checking my cellphone, I wasn't really surprised that I didn't have any calls. But the pain was still there. 'I need to talk to him…any minute now he'll show up at my window and apologize for last night…he'll tell me how sorry he is and…and he'll tell me that it was all a mistake…and that I shouldn't worry…' Tears fell down my face and I covered my face with my hands, sobbing silently.

There was a soft knock on my window and I jumped. For a second, I was overcome with joy. There he was, sitting in the window, an expression close to pain in his eyes…but then it was gone, and his eyes were dull again. "I need to talk to you." He said softly, his tone cold. "Get dressed."

* * *

I stepped out the front door, following him as we headed for the driveway, immediately noticing that his car was not in the driveway. Motioning me closer, he pulled me onto his back, a common enough occurrence, but his hands didn't linger on mine, and he was almost rough with his movements. Clinging to his neck, I swallowed the tears and closed my eyes as he ran, the familiar motion sickness settling in the pit of my stomach. Hesitantly, I leaned my head against his shoulder, desperately wishing that he wasn't angry anymore. He was so rarely angry with me that it was almost too painful to bear now.

He stopped in an unfamiliar clearing after only a minute or so, and I realized that we hadn't gone far. Wondering why he'd brought me here, I slipped off of his back and crossed my arms in a way that felt more defensive than irritated. "I'm sorry about last night." Those were the words I'd wanted to hear, but the tone made me suspicious. "Did I hurt your arm?" Immediately I remembered…the way he'd grabbed me…the way he'd thrown my hand away from him.

"No. It's fine." I said warily. "It doesn't hurt." He nodded a bit to himself, his eyes full of some emotion I couldn't quite catch.

"Bella…we're leaving." The words I'd feared since my time in the hospital washed over me, and I held my breath for a second, praying to wake up…for him to smile at me the way he always did when I woke up and pull me into his arms….to tell me how much he loved me; to tell me it was all a nightmare.  
"Where…where are we going?" I forced my voice to be light, hoping he wouldn't say it…

"Not you…my family and I…we're leaving. You can't come." I swallowed hard, an overwhelming pain threatening to level me.

"Edward…about last night…"

"What happened last night…well, you were right. It wasn't Jasper's fault. It was inevitable. We were foolish to think that this could work." He refused to look me in the eyes, his own trained on the ground in front of me. "This has to end. Now."

"Edward, please…" I whispered, knowing he could hear me perfectly, my hand stretched out to grab his…to hold him here for just a minute while I begged. Because I would. I would kneel and beg him not to leave me. If that's what it took to keep him…to keep my new family, I'd do it. But he was pulling away, his lips twisted into a grimace.

"I don't want you, Bella." He told me simply, taking a step back. "This was all a terrible mistake…and I'm sorry." And then he was gone.

* * *

I took a step in the direction he'd run…then wince when my legs gave out, the terrible pain in my chest too much to bear. "Edward…" I whispered, unable to speak any louder. This couldn't be happening, I told myself. 'You'll wake up soon…and everything will be okay.' Leaning forward, I rested my weight on my hands and knees, watching in detached fascination as my tears dripped onto the grass. 'He's gone…he's leaving.' The word echoed in my mind, the memory of his cold words making it worse. 'This was all a terrible mistake…he regrets it all…he doesn't love me. I thought he did...I was so sure.' A terrible, painful cry wrenched from my throat as I began to sob, my entire body shaking with the force of my pain. Arms giving out, I let myself fall to the ground, my head buried in my arms as I cried alone. 'He's left…and he's taking my family with him.'

When I opened my eyes again, it was getting dark, the sun just starting to sink in the sky. Pushing myself up, I suddenly remembered why I was here. Closing my eyes against the fresh pain, I wrapped my arms around myself, holding myself together as I sat up. I managed to pull myself to my feet, suddenly shivering as I realized how cold I was. 'Crap…where am I?' My mind went to Charlie and I wondered if he was worried…if he even knew I was gone. Was he still with Billy?

"Isabella?" The soft voice made me jump and I whirled around, my eyes widening as I found myself only a few feet away from the other figure.

"…Laurent?"

**I know it's a bit short, but I hope you all enjoyed anyway :) Thanks for reading.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Thanks for the reviews...and I hope you all like this chapter. :)**

"Hello, Isabella." Laurent's voice was soft…almost kind, and I hurried to wipe my face of the tears I knew he's seen. "Where are the rest of your coven? I didn't think you went anywhere without Edward." I flinched at the implication…that he'd been following me…waiting for me to be alone. Not sure how Edward had missed that, I forced a small smile.

"Hello Laurent." I cleared my throat when it came out as a painful rasp. "They…they're still here…. they just went hunting…they'll be back any time now." I lied smoothly (for me, anyway.) The French vampire just smiled benignly at me.

"Really?" He asked in a conversational tone, his arms crossed in front of his chest, his stance casual. "I thought…well, I'm sure I saw Edward leaving town. That car of his is hard to miss." He was wistful for a brief moment, but then smiled at me again. "I heard about James…pity." I flinched a bit…his tone wasn't threatening, but I still backed up a step, his deep red eyes capturing mine. "You know…I wasn't a fan. He was a good hunter…an excellent tracker, still…a little prone to temper. He liked to play with his food…but you know that of course…" He paused briefly, his smile turning apologetic. Sorry about that…I never meant you any harm." I nodded.

"Um...don't worry about it." I mumbled, stepping back again, eyeing the surrounding trees. It wouldn't matter, of course. I knew enough about vampires to understand that. If he wanted me dead, I was dead.

"That's very gracious of you…I heard that he injured you rather badly. But thankfully your…friend was able to show enough restraint to help you…quite impressive actually." He looked pointedly at the scar on my hand, barely visible to my eyes. "Of course, James didn't stand much of a chance against your coven. Victoria is…upset." My blood seemed to freeze in my veins and he smiled a little, his eyes showing a little pity. "She's determined to kill you." He told me simply, no remorse in his voice. "And she's still a friend."

"Laurent…" My tone was pleading as he began to move closer and closer, his eyes friendly, his posture relaxed.

"I really am sorry, Bella. I have nothing against you personally…I'm doing this as a favor."

"Laurent please…" I started to back away, but even as I moved I knew better…knew how this was going to end, now that Edward wasn't here to protect me. My hands began to shake, adrenaline coursing through my blood, but I couldn't run…I wouldn't make it five feet.

"If it helps, this will be quick…much quicker than if Victoria was here." Reaching out, he caught my shoulder in an almost friendly manner, placing a hand on the side of my face, and leaning in. With a soft, terrified sob, I closed my eyes and waited for the pain, my entire body tense.

'But what does it really matter?' I wondered suddenly. 'Isn't this better? Edward is gone…my new family…Carlisle, Esme, Emmett and Jasper…Alice…they all left me. What do I have left?'

I could feel his breath on my neck, the sweet scent calming me against my will as one hand gently cupped the side of my face, and I was almost completely relaxed when a snarl echoed through the woods and two arms were wrapped around me, pulling me backwards right before Laurent seemed to disappear. Looking wildly around the forest I began to fight the gentle hands that held me, tears pouring from my eyes as I began to shake harder. Following the sounds of snarling and growling, I found Laurent on the ground, pinned by a familiar giant form that bared its teeth and sank them into Laurent's neck. A horrible ripping sound, then the sound like a boulder being smashed, filled the forest and Laurent was still, his head rolling away from his body. I was unable to suppress a terrified cry and my knees buckled, the arms around me tightening and turning me around so that I leaned against someone's chest.

Closing my eyes, I turned and sobbed into the person's cold shoulder. "She okay?" Emmett's voice…I couldn't believe it was really him, so I didn't, came from behind me. "Man that was close." He mumbled, and a large hand rubbed my back.

"Bella? Are you alright?" I couldn't answer, only continued to lay limp against the stone body supporting me as my heart raced and my hands shook. One arm held me up while the other tilted my head back, familiar golden eyes peering anxiously into mine. "She's going into shock…let's get her back. I don't think he hurt her." That was Jasper…what were they doing back? I thought they'd left…I thought they'd all gone with Edward and…I pushed the thoughts away.

'Maybe I'm just dead…or crazy. This is probably all a hallucination. That was pretty quick though, if I'm dead. At least Laurent was kind about it. Oh well…might as well enjoy it while it lasts.' I didn't resist when Jasper scooped me into his arms, choosing instead to lay my head against his shoulder while my open but unseeing eyes continued to leak tears without any conscious decision on my part. Emmett placed a hand on my face…maybe tried to talk to me, but I couldn't make sense of any of his words, and he wiped at my face, removing tears that were almost instantly replaced with more as my mind tried to process what was going on.

"Come on…we need to get her to Carlisle."

'Carlisle.' The name surprised me before I allowed myself to sink back into numbness. So Carlisle was a part of this little hallucination too. Fun. Maybe Jacob Black would show up too…I hadn't seen him in a little while.

* * *

The trip was short and I soon found myself in the familiar house. "What happened?" So Esme was here too….I was glad.

"Laurent…it was close." Jasper said simply, tightening his grip on me briefly.

"What's Laurent doing here? I thought he was in Alaska!" She cried incredulously as I was handed to someone else.

"No idea…but he was going to kill her. If we had gotten there a second later…" Emmett's voice was pained. "She hasn't responded to us at all since I killed him." I realized that I was in Carlisle's arms as he placed me on the sofa, kneeling beside me as he touched my face, his cold skin a welcome relief to my hot face.

"Bella? Can you hear me?" His gentle words washed over me and I closed my eyes, not wanting to meet his kind, worried ones. I was afraid that if I spoke, he would disappear. Or maybe I would be dead…either way…. "Bella? Can you squeeze my hand? Squeeze my hand if you can hear me, sweetheart." I didn't dare, instead keeping my cold hand limp in his colder one. Maybe if I didn't respond to him, he would keep talking to me…maybe the rest of the family would appear and it would all be okay …maybe Edward would come back and want me again. "Was she injured?"

"No…she didn't even fight him." Emmett spoke softly, and I could hear the frown in his voice.

"She's conscious…I believe she's in shock. Jasper, get me a blanket…she's freezing...why was she even out there?" I wondered briefly if that's why I was shaking, then dismissed the thought. It didn't matter. He gently shifted me so that my head was no longer resting on a cushion, and placed the pillow under my feet while someone began to remove my shoes. A blanket was draped over me and someone took my hand in theirs, two fingers pressing on my wrist. "Bella? Can you hear me, sweetheart? You're okay...you're safe. Can you open your eyes for me?" Carlisle sounded so worried that I couldn't bear it anymore. So maybe he would disappear…I couldn't hurt him, regardless of whether or not he was real.

Slowly I opened my eyes, blinking heavily against the tiredness that had settled on me. "Bella?" Squeezing the hand that held mine, I blinked again, and this time I had to force my eyes back open. He placed a damp washcloth on my face, gently wiping around my eyes and then leaving it on my forehead. "There…can you hear me?" I nodded slowly, my body sluggishly responding to my commands. "Are you in pain?" He asked, and even though I knew he meant physically, I felt my face crumple as I sobbed, my teeth biting into my bottom lip. "Where does it hurt, Bella?" He asked anxiously, moving closer to me and cupping my cheek. Clenching my fist, I brought it up to my chest where the terrible ache remained, and sobbed. He placed his arms around me, kissing my forehead and holding me close…apparently understanding immediately.

"Oh Bella, I'm so sorry sweetheart. We wouldn't leave you." He promised softly, and I heard Esme speak softly, but I couldn't make out her words. Sighting, Carlisle rocked me gently. "Don't cry, Bella. He'll come back." But I couldn't help it. I could feel his icy arms around me and he was holding me against him and I wasn't waking up. Clenching my fists in his sweater and sobbing softly, I felt him move until I was in his lap on the couch, my body curled against him. "Jasper?" He spoke softly and I could just barely make out Jasper's voice.

"She's terrified." The couch dipped beside up and I felt a hand on my back, and instantly I was flooded with a calm so powerful that I sighed in relief, the hole in my chest seeming to disappear for the moment, my body relaxing against Carlisle as the tension seemed to melt away. "What did the idiot _say _to her?" He mumbled irritably.

"Where's Bella!" I heard the door being thrown open, and then a loud sight. "Oh thank goodness…I saw it too late…did he hurt her?"

"No. We got her in time. Where is he?" Emmett asked, but I didn't move my head from Carlisle's shoulder despite the cold seeping in through the blanket.

"Here Bella." Another blanket was wrapped around me while I was left in Carlisle's lap, and I felt a wave of gratitude towards Jasper.

"I found him in Canada…I think he's coming back…" She seemed uncertain, and I wondered what she'd told him. "I didn't tell him what happened…" She answered my unspoken question, even though I hadn't moved to look at her. "I was on my way back when I saw what was happening…how did you know where to find her?"

"We were on our way to her house when we caught her scent and his in the woods…good thing too." Emmett told her quietly, his voice a soft growl.

"Jasper…" Carlisle's voice was just as quiet, and he pulled away from me softly, pressing me into Jasper's arms. Looking into my eyes, he placed a hand on my face, kissing my forehead. "I'll be back, Bella." He promised kindly. "Do you feel better?"

I nodded as much as I was capable of, doped up on Jasper's emotional drugs as I was. "I'll be back by morning." He promised. "I'm have to go somewhere…do you want us to tell Charlie you're staying with Alice tonight?" I managed another nod, burrowing into Jasper's arms. He rubbed my back and I felt his cold lips on my hair. Emmett stood as well, pausing briefly to kiss my forehead with a grim smile, then followed his father out of the room. I wondered where they were going, but Jasper's cloud of calm kept me from worrying about it. Alice sat beside us, her head on Jasper's shoulder and she reached out with one of her hands and caught mine. Esme sat on his other side, taking my other hand and holding it tightly.

"It's okay, Bella." Alice promised again, squeezing my hand. Another small hand wiped at my face where tears still fell, much to my surprise. "He'll be back. It's okay." To Jasper, she spoke in a high pitched, almost silent voice, and I couldn't make out any of the words, but I didn't really care. I didn't trust any of my emotions at the time, so I just lay in Jasper's arms, completely unaware of what was going on around me until he stood smoothly, keeping me in his arms, and the clock chimed twice, telling me I'd been out of it for hours. I was strangely tired, even though I'd slept through a lot of the day, and then lay dazed in his arms for hours, but I didn't question it, instead watching emotionlessly as he carried me down the hallway and into a large room I'd never been in, placing me in the large, comfortable bed.

Alice climbed onto the bed beside me and pulled me into her arms, promising that she would stay with me while I slept. As soon as Jasper left the room, the calm seemed to dissipate and I felt the pain return, threatening to rip me apart. Gasping softly at the agony in my chest, I sobbed into her neck. "Shh, Bella. You're okay."

"He…he…" I sobbed, gasping for breath in between words, my breathing ragged. "He said…it was… a mistake…" I managed, barely registering her soft growl or the way her arms tightened around me. "He…doesn't want me…." I winced at how that sounded, how needy it made me look…but was in too much pain to care. I loved him…more than I'd ever loved anyone…and I was finally starting to believe that he loved me just as much. How was I going to go back to my old, ordinary life…cooking for Charlie…saving up for college, one dreary day after another, when I'd been given so much in him…in this family that showed me so much love and affection…something I certainly couldn't find in my real father.

"Oh Bella…" Alice sighed softly, rubbing my back and rocking us back and forth, her slim arms tight around me, then was silent for a moment. "We're not leaving." She finally said. "He wanted us too…Carlisle said no. We're staying in town."

"He…said no?" I asked, pulling away to look into her eyes as best I could in the dark.

"Edward is our family, Bella, but so are you. We weren't just going to abandon you…Carlisle wouldn't hear of it. He thinks Edward is being unreasonable…so does Esme. Emmett and Jasper threatened to beat the crap out of him if he hurt you…I guess they will now." She laughed without humor. "He made me promise not to watch you…I thought he was just going to make up with you…apologize. I never thought he'd hurt you like that…not after we all said we'd stand by you." I sobbed again, ducking my head under her neck and resting it on her shoulder.

He didn't love me…that much was obvious. Actually it seemed like he hated me. So much that he'd abandon his family just to get away from me…but they'd stayed. They had refused to go with him…just because they wouldn't leave me. That had to count for something…still, I sobbed into Alice's shirt for hours before I finally dropped off, and only then because she called for Jasper.

**Thanks for reading :) **


	4. Chapter 4

**Thanks so much for all the reviews! I'm glad you are enjoying this little story, and I hope you like this chapter. **

"What were you thinking!?" Edward froze in the doorway, sighing deeply. He'd managed to evade Carlisle and Emmett for most of the night, but he had to see her…and he couldn't avoid this forever. He'd made a mistake…the image of her crying in her bedroom….her soft sobs echoing in the forest, haunted him, and after Alice had tracked him down and told him what an idiot he was…what this was going to do to her…

Alice had showed up in the forest, her features twisted into a snarl as she'd tackled him, her fury taking him by surprise. "Alice, what…"

"Shut up and watch you moron!" She'd snapped, staring into his eyes as she pinned him to the ground. Unable to do much more without actually hurting his sister, he'd done as she'd asked, then instantly regretted it. They were images of Bella…. lying on her bed, catatonic, sick in the bathroom, refusing to eat, sobbing beside her window, screaming in her sleep…he had shook his head, trying to dislodge the images, but Alice was relentless. Bella staring lifelessly at her desk, Bella being shaken by her terrified father, Bella with too many pills in her hand…Bella cold and still…

"Stop!" He'd screamed, agony in his voice. "Please Alice!" Abruptly she was focusing on him again, tucking the visions away.

"She needed you." Alice's voice had grown a little gentler, but her hands hadn't allowed him to move. "She wanted to finish her party…she was just doing it for us, but she was having a good time, and then you hurt her."

"Jasper…"

"Jasper didn't mean to hurt her…he could no more control his actions than Bella could control getting that paper cut. But she sought him out and they are fine. Jasper loves Bella! We all do. But _you_ hurt her! You were the one that scared her, and then you left her." He'd closed his eyes, lying still on the ground as Alice stood. "It's going to kill her." She had said simply, crossing her arms. "We're going to try to help her…but she's going to die without you. She _needs_ you Edward, just as much as you need her.

As Edward had watched her go, he had been tormented by the images Alice had shown him…unable to stop thinking of Bella's lifeless eyes as she poured a handful of pills out of a bottle whose label he couldn't read. And he had known that he couldn't do this…he had to go back and make things right.

"Let my by, Jasper!" Carlisle and Emmett stood a little ways behind him, having tracked him back to the house, and Jasper stood in the doorway, arms crossed across his chest, all very carefully thinking only about Edward, causing him some confusion, but not enough to be distracted.

"And let you hurt her again!? I don't think so!" Emmett snarled, shoving past him to stand by Jasper in the doorway. They all slipped on the word 'hurt', and Edward was assaulted by half images…Bella in the forest, Emmett sinking his teeth into Laurent's neck, Carlisle placing a hand on Bella's face, staring into her dull eyes.

If his heart could have stopped it would have. " What happened? Let me see her!"

"Why would you say that to her!? Do you have any idea how much you hurt her!" Emmett ignored his request, instead focusing again on Edward, much to his frustration.

"What happened to her?!" He needed to see her…something had happened. Something involving Laurent…he need to know what. He could hear her heartbeat, the steady cadence that everyone could hear reassuring him that she was asleep somewhere upstairs, but he had to know what had happened.

"What do you care?" Jasper snarled. "It was all a mistake, right? You don't want her." Edward flinched when Jasper threw his own words…words designed to make her let go….to force her to move on with her life so that he couldn't hurt her anymore, back in his face.

"I couldn't put her in any more danger." He tried to explain himself, but no one was moved.

"And what? Did you think Victoria would _give up_!? She sent Laurent to kill Bella! And you weren't there to protect her." Emmett growled at him, his large fists clenched. Edward closed his eyes as the rest of the story was silently given to him. She had been in the woods…with Laurent, as Emmett and Jasper had broken through the trees. He hovered over her, one hand on her shoulder, the other on her face, as his lips nearly touched her neck, his white teeth gleaming as they prepared to pierce her skin. But the most painful part was her face, streaked with tears as she stood in the same clearing Edward had left her in…she'd obviously been there all day and he wondered why. She looked…resigned, though still terrified, as she waited for death.

But then his brothers had reached them, Jasper grabbing her as gently as he could and pulling her away while Emmett tackled the vampire, pinning him to the ground and ripping his head off. Jasper was suddenly forced to support Bella's weight as she collapsed, her terrified scream echoing around them. Edward could almost feel her in his arms from Jasper's memory, her hot tears soaking into his shirt, his arms supporting her weight…then the dull way she looked at him, her pupils dilated and her eyes leaking tears that Emmett tried to wipe away as he begged her to speak to him.

"Stop!" Edward pleaded. He couldn't bear it…could bear seeing her in so much pain…pain that he'd caused.

"I warned you, Edward." His father said softly, coming to stand beside him, resting a firm hand on his shoulder. "She trusted you…you've placed yourself so firmly in her life…it was unbearable for her when you ripped yourself back out. She won't be able to move on…she's a part of our family now. We don't abandon our family." He chided his son.

"I…wanted to keep her safe." Edward pleaded with his father. "I was only gone a day but…" He choked on his words. "I can't do this. I can't live without her."

"I know." Carlisle have him a grim smile. "I already knew that." Edward sighed...his father was truly upset with him, even if he was being kind about it as always. His eyes were disapproving. 'I told you not to leave her Edward...what you did was cruel... especially to Bella, but to all of us...asking us to choose between the two of you. Do you know how much you hurt Esme, asking that of her? She loves Bella like her daughter.' For a moment, Carlisle focused on Esme as she sobbed into her husband's arms, the pain of letting her son leave...of having to choose between her beloved son and her new little girl. 'Do you know how close Emmett and Jasper were to being too late to save her? Or what Bella went through? She was nearly killed without you there to protect her. How would your brothers have felt then? If they'd been too late to save her?'

He winced, glancing over at his brothers who were obviously attached to the human girl. Before he could think on the further, he was suddenly distracted by Jasper's grimace and felt Bella's pain through his brother's gift. Jerking away from his father, he started to race to her room, only to be stopped by Emmett's arms pinning him. "Let me go!" He snarled at his brother, thrashing as much as he could under his brother's impossible strength. The arms tightened until they hurt and Edward froze, glaring up at him.

Jasper strolled past them, rolling his eyes at the theatrics as he hurried up the stairs, and Edward resigned himself to watch through Jasper's mind as he stepped through the doorway. Alice held the girl in her arms as Bella curled into a ball, her own arms wrapped around herself as she cried silently. It went against every instinct he had to watch her in so much pain and not do anything. 'But what can I do?' He had to ask himself. 'This is my fault.'

"She just woke up." Alice said softly, her hands uselessly rubbing Bella's back and hair. "She won't respond to me at all." Jasper sat on the edge of the bed and Edward saw her eyes more closely, the image making him sick. Her large brown eyes were red and dull, lifeless as they stared straight ahead. She didn't react when Jasper placed a hand on her forehead, nor did she answer when he called her name.

"Please, Emmett." Edward whispered, letting himself relax in his brother's hold and looking into his fierce eyes. "Please." For a moment, Emmett had shared a look with Carlisle, who Edward saw nod in his mind, and then he was free, flying up the stairs.

The door to Alice's room was open and he hesitated in the doorway, meeting Alice's eyes as his sister and Jasper moved away from Bella, both eyeing him warily as they passed him, leaving him alone with Bella.

The girl didn't make any sign that she'd noticed Alice or Jasper leaving, only lying curled in a ball on top of the covers, her eyes leaking silent tears as she stared straight ahead. Stepping forward, Edward moved into her line of sight. Nothing. No response. A little surprised, and even more worried than before, Edward stepped up to the bed. "Bella?" He asked, frowning more deeply when she still didn't respond, his chest tight with anxiety as he watched her seemingly lifeless form. Walking over to a chair in the corner, he grabbed a thick quilt thrown over the back, and draped it over her, providing more protection than the thin sheet, and climbed into bed in front of her, one hand cupping her cheek. "Sweetheart, can you hear me?" He asked, his voice pained, and bit his lip when she didn't respond. "Please, Bella? I'm so sorry. Please say something."

It seemed to take a minute for the words to sink in, but slowly her eyes seemed to focus, flitting around the room and finally coming to rest on his face. "Edward." She whispered his name so hesitantly that his still heart seemed to ache.

"It's me Bella. I'm so sorry. Oh, Bella." He wiped at her tears, pulling her closer when her face crumpled and she began to sob in earnest. "I can never tell you how sorry I am. I love you so much…I thought it would keep you safe. I'm so sorry."

"You're…not mad…anymore?" She choked out through her sobs.

"No, love. I'm not mad. Please don't cry. I'm sorry. I was being completely unreasonable Bella…I just wanted to protect you. I promise, I didn't mean any of it." She wept harder, clenching her fists around his shirt and pressing closer, her forehead resting against his shoulder as her tears soaked into his shirt. "I will always love you." He promised, shuddering to think of the future he almost created. 'I almost killed her…and not in the way I feared I would. She could have died because of me.' He knew that, had that happened, he would have found a way to die as well, taking any chance he could get at maybe seeing her again in whatever afterlife he was allowed.

She cried for a long time, her entire body pressed against his, her hands holding his shirt as tightly as she could, as though she thought he would leave again. He realized that she probably did and held her tighter as well, careful as always not to hurt her. "I won't leave." He promised over and over. "Never again. I love you so much…I could never leave you." And he wouldn't…couldn't. He couldn't imagine causing her pain like this again…he thought his body would rip apart from the pain it was causing him now, but he bore it, gladly. He deserved it, he knew, and he would endure it until she was okay again.

* * *

I thought I was dreaming…or hallucinating when I felt Edward's arms around me again. I'd given up all hope that he'd ever hold me again…that he'd ever want to be near me. But here he was, his arms tight around me, the cold bleeding through the blanket, and I wondered how I would ever let go. Again and again he told me that he loved me…that he was sorry, and I wondered if it made me weak that I forgave him so easily…that I took him right back after he caused me so much pain. But the thought of moving away from his shoulder where my face was firmly pressed brought another wave of terror and pain, so I pushed the thought away. I had Edward back…I had my family. That was all I needed.

* * *

I must have fallen asleep, because the next thing I knew I was assaulted by sunlight, the room suddenly much brighter than before. Groaning softly at the light and not willing to open my eyes, I rolled over, snuggling into the cold stone that….that thought stopped my mind in its tracks and my eyes opened on their own, widening when I found myself staring into the familiar light brown eyes. I tensed, waiting for the pain to return, but it had receded to a dull ache. "You're back." I whispered, and he smiled sadly, one cold hand cupping my face.

"I am." He said softly, stroking my cheek with his thumb.

"Are you staying?" The question managed to bring some of the pain back, and he pulled me closer so that our noses nearly touched.

"As long as you want me. I'm so sorry." His eyes were full of self-loathing as he leaned his forehead against mine. "My behavior was completely inexcusable…unforgivable."

"I forgive you." I whispered, unable to stop myself from moving closer, tucking my head under his, desperate to get as close as I could to him. The thought of him leaving again had the pain flaring back up, my body instinctively curling into a ball once again. His hand stroked my back, his body curling around mine.

"You shouldn't…but thank you. I am truly sorry Bella. I thought….well, it doesn't matter…"

"Just don't do it again." I mumbled, aiming for a light tone, but my voice came out strangled and pained, and he kissed my forehead.

"I won't leave you again Bella…not until you ask me to."

"I'll never ask you to." I couldn't imagine ever wanting this pain again…that emptiness I hadn't thought I could live through. "I'll want you with me forever."

"That suits me." He kissed my forehead again, holding me close until my body began to relax, uncurling as I snuggled against him.

**Thank you for reading. There is only one more chapter planned. Don't hold me to that though **


	5. Chapter 5

**Pipi 96, I got the strangest feeling from your review that you wanted a final chapter….so here you go. I hope everyone enjoys :)**

My bedroom was still cold. Edward closed the window with an unreadable expression, then moved back to my side as I sat on the bed, pulling me to his side and watching me almost anxiously. He'd been a bit on edge all day and I wondered why…of course I was more than relieved to see him, but I couldn't figure out what had upset him…or scared him to be more accurate. It made sense for me to cling to him, keeping him in my sight almost every second, touching him whenever possible. But it didn't make sense for him to watch me, as though I were going to disappear at any second.

That morning we'd stayed in his bed for almost an hour after I'd woken up. I think he had sensed that I didn't want to let him go. The thought of being separated from him had made the hole in my chest reopen, the unbearable pain bringing tears to my eyes, so I had kept my hands tightly fisted in his shirt, ignoring the fact that I was freezing and that I was hungry and that I probably should call Charlie at some point, until Edward had moved us under the rest of the blankets, wrapping them around me while staying close, and had held me tighter. It had been obvious that he didn't want to move away from me either, but when my stomach had started growling, he'd broke the tension with a soft chuckle. "Hungry?"

"No." I had lied petulantly, and he'd laughed again, sitting up and pulling me with him. Honestly, I was a little embarrassed. I'd had a complete breakdown in front of Carlisle and Jasper and Alice…not to mention Rosalie who already disliked me. How was I supposed to face them now…what did it say about me when I fell apart because my boyfriend left? But that wasn't the truth of it…he was so much more than that, and if anyone would understand soul mates, it would be the three perfectly matched pairs that lived here. He'd taken my hand then and led me downstairs to the conveniently empty living room and we'd left, me claiming that I would fix something at home.

Now he kept his arm around me, tucking me against his side, which I didn't mind at all despite the cold. After a second, he pulled the comforter around us, wrapping me so that I could stay warm and still stay close to him. "I love you." He mumbled, looking into my eyes and touching my face with his palm. "I love you so much, Bella. You are my life."

Unsure of where this was coming from, and more than a little worried, I covered his cold hand with my own. "I love you too, Edward….what's wrong?"

"I'm so sorry." He whispered.

"Edward, what's wrong?" I felt my heart start to race and he reacted instantly, stroking my cheek with his thumb.

"Shh, don't worry. Nothing's wrong. I just…I didn't mean to hurt you, Bella. I just wanted to protect you. But I wasn't…I won't leave you again, I swear. Not unless you want me to." I nodded, resting my head against him.

"I believe you." And I did…but I knew that it was going to hurt to be away from him at all for a while.

"C'mon." He spoke after a moment, taking my hand and pulling me to my feet, keeping me at his side. "Breakfast time for the human."

Edward fixed me breakfast, frying eggs and toasting bread and somehow managing to never more than a few feet from me. As I ate, he stayed close by my side, his arm wrapped around my back. "What happened?" I asked finally, looking up at him. "To make you come back? What did Alice say?" He looked at me hesitantly for a moment.

"She showed me what would have happened…what I'd be doing to you. I couldn't, Bella. I thought that you'd be able to move on….I thought you'd be able to live your life without me…"

"I couldn't." I guessed, my lips pulled into a sad smile.

"No…but neither could I." He touched my face tenderly. "I can't live without you now…you're my life." I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him then, loosing myself in the feeling. He glanced away suddenly and I frowned at him, tilting my head.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing." He smiled and stayed beside me while I ate.

* * *

We spent most of the day at my house, the television playing a stream of old movies on a channel I didn't know we had, and he kept his arm around me, holding me as close as he could with the thick blanket in the way. Occasionally he would turn and kiss my cheek, my nose, my forehead…sometimes my lips. And I started feeling normal again…like things were going to be okay. The hole in my chest that had just started forming was sealing once more…I was safe with him. I was sure that victoria was going to come back for me…it just didn't make sense for her not to, but I wasn't about to bring that up.

At around five o'clock, Edward sat up, meeting my curious look with a smile. "C'mon. Let's head back to my house." I was a bit confused but nodded. I scribbled a note for Charlie who would be arriving home soon and who, thankfully, didn't know about anything that had happened…I would hate to have to explain any of this to him.

I went upstairs to shower quickly, and then changed into a blouse Alice had bought me at some point and the jeans she'd probably bought, since I didn't recognize them. I was towel drying my hair when Edward knocked on my door and I invited him in, not noticing that he came right up behind me and had his hands on the towel and gently began drying my hair. I laughed softly when he dropped the towel and placed his nose against my wet hair and inhaled deeply. "You smell so good." He mumbled, stroking my face with his thumb, and I touched his face, bringing my nose up to his neck and inhaling, letting my nose skim the cold skin there.

"You smell pretty good yourself." I could feel him laugh, the vibrations cutting off abruptly when my lips pressed against his neck. For just a second his breath quickened, and then he pulled away, framing my face in his hands.

"We really should go." He said a little ruefully, kissing my forehead once, then grabbing a brush and running it through my mostly dry hair. I grabbed a clip and pulled half of it up, then followed him out the door.

The lights were on downstairs when we arrived, the windows glowing in the dimming light as the clouds covered what little sun shone down. Edward parked in the garage and appeared at my door, pulling it open for me and helping me out, then wrapped me in his arms once more. "I don't feel I've apologized enough for my inexcusable behavior." He told me softly, brushing a thumb against my temple. "So I hoped that we could maybe try again?" I narrowed my eyes in confusion, but before I could ask, the door was thrown open and we were standing in the kitchen doorway.

"Happy birthday!" Blood pooled in my cheeks and I hid my face in Edward's arm while he laughed, an exasperated smile forcing its way onto my face.

"It's not my birthday." I scolded them half heartedly, but they only laughed. I was surprised to see even Rosalie smile in amusement.

"Well, you didn't really get to finish your party last time, and we got a new cake!" Emmett grinned, gesturing to an even larger cake than last time.

"What did you do with the old one?" I asked, impressed despite myself at the beautifully ornate

"Don't worry about that now!" Alice teased, ruffling my hair before I could pull away. "Come on! You have to open your presents."

I was seated on the couch between Alice and Edward, who, much to everyone's amusement and my embarrassment insisted on opening the wrapping paper for me. After receiving an expensive stereo from Jasper, Emmett, and Rosalie, who I thanked despite not really able to tell the difference between it and my old stereo (Emmett promised to install it later…apparently he wanted to watch me open everything) and a CD of music composed and played by Edward (apparently Alice wanted to take me out shopping for y gift, something I was already nervous about) I was forced to eat delicious cake while they looked on.

The rest of the evening was spent much like a normal one at the Cullen house. Jasper played chess with me while Alice and Edward played the complicated version that Emmett and Jasper had made up, and Rosalie and Emmett watched from the sofa with Carlisle as Esme, who had their heads together, speaking in tones I could never hope to hear. Emmett disappeared briefly to install my stereo and then took his place by Rosalie once again, keeping an arm around her and speaking to her softly, his face serious.

I paid them little mind…I hadn't yet won a chess match against Jasper, and was resentful of the amusement he felt watching me try. He sighed and leaned back with exaggerated patience and I stuck my tongue out at him, making him laugh as I tried to figure out my next move. "If I might make a suggestion…"

"No you may not." I snapped, eyeing my bishop. He laughed again, and I paused for a second, exhaling when I was wrapped in fond affection. Looking back up at him in surprise, I met his soft eyes as he chuckled at me, then looked hastily back down at the board, finally making my move. He snorted and moved one piece.

"Check." He announced with a grin and I glared at the board, trying to figure a way out of it, then crossed my arms and flicked my king over, leaning back and glaring at him. "Hey, maybe some day." He patted my head condescendingly, laughing and moving easily out of the way when I kicked at him, more because it would have hurt me than because he worried it would have hurt him. He moved back to my side then, dropping on the sofa beside me, and putting a hand on my shoulder. "Wanna play again?"

I laughed then, unable to hold back my amusement at his eagerness, and shook my head. "No thanks. You've already beaten me four times. Doesn't that get boring for you?" He looked at me strangely then, his eyes holding some friendly mixture of something I couldn't identify, and he shook his head with a laugh.

"Not at all."

"Wanna play with us?" Emmett invited, gesturing to the line of chessboards and the many pieces, some of which I was pretty sure were not included in a normal chess set. "We've got room for two more players!" Having no idea how that would work, I shook my head, deciding to just watch, when a hand landed on my shoulder.

"Actually, I had something I need to give you." I looked at Carlisle in surprise as he sat next to me on the sofa, and noticed that everyone had paused what they were doing, and that even Rosalie seemed vaguely interested. I felt a moment's remorse that the girl still didn't like me, but it disappeared when Jasper's hand touched my back.

"You already gave me a present….thank you by the way. I can't wait to visit my mom." He smiled, reaching forward and hugging me when I put my arms around him.

"You're very welcome, Bella." Esme moved to sit on his other side and they faced me on the couch. "But this…well it isn't exactly a birthday gift." I tilted my head, trying to figure out what he would be giving me, but he only grinned. "Close your eyes." He told me, and I complied, then felt him take my hand, and something cold was placed in my palm. "Okay."

I opened my eyes and immediately felt them fill. I'd seen this little crest before…it was worn around Rosalie's and Alice's neck, on the cuffs of the boy's jackets, on rings and bracelets… "It's my family's." Carlisle told me as Edward came to take Jasper's place behind me. "Back in my day, all upstanding families had them." He grinned a little. "Granted, that was quiet a while ago. But I think it's still worth having. And you are certainly a member of our family." Edward took the necklace from my hand and, moving my hair aside, clasped it in the back, securing the silver chain around my throat, and I reached a hand up touching the emblem at the base of my neck in overwhelmed silence. Carlisle seemed to understand though, because he pulled me into his arms again, and Esme put a hand on my head.

"You are our daughter, Bella, a part of our family. We won't every leave you, sweetheart." He promised. And I knew that no matter what was decided, no matter how long I lived, that promise, that declaration to everyone in the room, would be kept.

The End

**Thank you to everyone that read this story! I hope you all enjoyed, as I truly loved writing it. :)**


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